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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES N. PHELPS, OFl NEW YORK, N. Y.

HAND PRINTING-PRESS.

y "l Specification of Letters Patent No. 21,980, dated November?, 1858,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES N. PHELPS, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hand Printing-Presses, called Phelps Economist Printing-Press; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure 1, is a side elevation of the improved press. Fig. 2, is a vertical transverse section of ditto, at the line l, 2, of Fig. l. Fig. 3, is a horizontal section of the cylinder and cylinder within the same to which the platen is secured.

Similar letters in the iigures refer to corresponding parts.

The nature of this invention and improvement consists in so combining and arranging the inking roller, and the parts for sustaining and actuating the same, in relation to the ink receiving and distributing rollers and the rising and falling platen and the parts for moving the same, as to enable the several functions of inking the roller, distributing it over the surface of the form moving the form and giving the impression, by the simple upward and backward and downward movement of a hand lever; and also the combining with and arranging in the rear of the ink receiving and distributing rollers, a segmental shield, between which and the corresponding formed arm or support for sustaining the platen cylinder, is left, or space for the margin of any paper or other material being imprinted, in such a manner as to protect said margin from contact with the rollers.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The foundation or base A, of the press consists of a. horizontal rectangular casting, provided with suitable perforated lears for securing it to a table or other platform, and having a suitable bed B, at one end of its upper surface, and a segmental arm or support C, rising from its opposite end, the front part of which is cast or otherwise secured to a vertical cylinder D, situated immediately above the bed B, and from which and along the under and front portion of the segmental arm down to the upper surface of the foundation or base A and on Y either side of the same extend ribs, for giving the requisite degree of strength to this part.

Vithin the cylinder D, and concentric with the same is placed another cylinder E, between which and the said outer cylinder is arranged a stiff spiral spring F, whose lower end rests on a iange or rim a at the lower end of the outer cylinder D, inside the periphery of which ange or rim a, the inner cylinder exactly fits and through which it passes. This spiral spring F, is confined and slightly compressed between the iiange or rim a, and a corresponding flange or rim b at the upper end of the inner cylinder E, which exactly fits in the bore of the outer cylinder D. The lower end of the cylinder E, is slightly reduced in diameter and made solid and is inserted and secured by a screw c, or other convenient means in a socket formed in the upper part of a square, rectangular or other formed platen G, which is properly hollowed out on its under part to receive the type form, which is rmly secured between the sides of this hollow part by set screws d, passing through female screws formed in a bar e secured to the front edge of the platen G by additional screws passing through openings in its edge and enter corresponding female screws in the said platen Gr.

To the upper end of the cylinder D, is screwed or otherwise secured a cap H, from the upper surface of which rise two ears f, situated on either side, and a short distance from the center of the same, in the upper ends of which are formed boxes for the support of a horizontal transverse shaft I, which passes through them, and extends beyond the periphery of the cap and is provided with arms or bars J, at its ends, which arms or bars extend downward to very near the same horizontal plane as the upper surface of the bed B, and have slots formed at their lower ends in which are inserted the journals of a horizontal inking roller K, which journals projectI beyond the said bars and are also inserted in boxes or the lower rounded parts of straps L, to the upper portions of which are attached the extended ends of spiral springs M, arranged parallel to the bars, and whose opposite extended ends are attached to studs or ears g, projecting from the sides, near the upper end of the said arms or bars J, in such a manner as to cause the upward tension of the said spiral A springs M, to be exerted upon the journals horizontal transverse shaft I, passes loosely' through an opening in the end ofa'hand lever N, arranged between the ears f, secured to the screw cap Il. This lever N, may be bent to any convenient and desired form and has a handle for operating it on its opposite end, and is provided, near the part where it is attached to the shaft I, with a rounded lip or projection 7L, which is made to come in contact and form a fulcrum or joint with the corresponding rounded end of a rod or bar O whose opposite end rests in a 'step at the lower solid end of the inner cylinder E, so as to enable the two bearing surfacesto act somewhat. after the manner of a ball and socket joint.

To the rear portionfof the lower end of the cylinder D, is secured or cast Aasegrnental plate or shield P, which extends underand in front of, and parallel to the ribbed arm or support C, and at the required distance from' the same to admit of the passage of several thicknesses of paper between the two, and from the edges of this segmental plate or shield l?, extend downward in an inclined direction two arms or bars z', in openings in the lower ends of which are inserted the journals of a horizontal transverse distributing ink roller R. Between this roller It and theplate or shield is arranged another horizontal ink roller Q of larger diameter, whose journals also pass through openings in the inclined arms or bars z', one of the journals being provided with a ,cr-ank y' for giving motion to the said roller R. Diagonal or reversely spiral depressions t, are made in they ends of this ink roller R, in such relation| to each other, as to bring their deepest -portions respectively opposite the portion where they commenced diverging from a line at right angles with the axis of the roller, in such a manner as to alternately cause the rounded ends of horizontal pins S projecting from the inner sides of the inclined bars or arms z', to act upon the spiral surfaces of said depressions at the ends of the said roller Q, as it is revolved, and give ita traversing movement, for more effectually distributing the ink over the periphery of the inking roller R, when pressed in Contact with thesame by the spiral springs M.

On either side of the hand lever N are formed shoulders or bosses s, which lit Hush against the sides of the ears f, and extend about three quarters (more or less) around the axis of the transverse shaft I, so as to leave slots between the sides of the lever and the ears, in which slots are situatedl pins T secured t0 and projecting radially from the periphery of the said shaft, so as to enable the said pins to be operated upon by the abrupt edges s of the shoulders or bosses during their oscillations and to give in conjunction with the spiral springs o an oscillating movement to the transverse shaft I and arms or bars J to which the inking roller R is attached. 'The spiral springs Iv just mentioned, are wound around the transverse shaft I, between the bars or arms J and the ears f, and one of the ends of each is turned downward and hooked over a horizontal. pin or stud n projecting from the side of each of the ears, while the opposite endof-each is extended downward vfrom'thetransverse shaft I, and thence horizontally in front of. andin contact with nthe front; edge of each of the bars J *or arms against which its elasticity is made to act, with the required degree oftensonto turn the shaft I and its attachments, when not acted upon or held by the project ingishouiders ou the sides of the lever N, and move t-he inking roller K at the lower ends of the arms or` barsV` J under and in contact with the face of the type, and inking rollers 7When it is desired to .operate this improved press, the receiving roller Q, is rst inked and then revolved sufliciently to thoroughly diffuse or distribute the ink over its entire surface and the entire surfaces of the rollers K, It;v The paper to be .imprinted is'then placed on the bed B., immediately under the platen G, and incase it is desired to impress the direction or other device, upon the center portion of a large sheet of paper, the" edge of the lsame lis moved under the platen G and upward and between the shield or plate P., and the corresponding formed arm C, until the said portion is immediately under the :platen G. 3 In case the sheet of `paper is 'too large to admit this result its abrupt edges ofthe ournals on the sidesk ofv the said lever to come. in contact with the radial pins-T projecting from the transverse y shaft I and totnrn the said shaft onits jouruals'and'move the inking roller K over the Surface of the type in the form, secured to the lower surface of the .platen G, andl to ink the same, it being pressed upward with the requireddegreeof force to perform this oiice bythe spiral springs M. Thehandle of the lever N is then drawn forward, the radial pins T and transverse shaft I, to whichthey are attached, and its attachments, moving with it, through the action ofthe ends of the spiral springs U, on the arms or bars which causes. the inkingaroller K to be again moved underl and. against the type in-the :formg'and-under theirollers Q, Itv soA 125 upon the upper rounded end of the bar or rod O, and upon the requisite degree of force being exerted upon the same, to bring the center of the transverse shaft I, and the bearing surfaces of` the upper and lower rounded ends of the bar or rod O, on a line, when the desired impression is effected and the paper removed. In this manner the 0peration is continued, and cards or any signed sheets of paper are printed or indorsed in the most perfect manner.

The proportions of the press may be varied to suit the views of the constructor or the character of the printing to be performed, and by it letters, envelops, cards, and papers of every description and size can be imprinted or indorsed with any desired device.

If desired the type form may be placed and secured on the base or foundation and the several parts altered and made to adapt themselves to this arrangement but it is believed that the general construction and arrangement before described, is best suited to the objects designed to be accomplished.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-V 1. The combination and arrangement of the radial pins T, on the transverse shaft,

and shoulder cams s on the sides of the lever N, oscillating arms J spiral springs V, for moving the same automatically, and spiral springs M for pressing the inking roller in contact with the printing rollers Q R when receiving the ink from the same, and in contact with the face of the type in the form secured to the under part of the platen G, substantially in the manner and for the purpose before described.

2. I claim arranging the inking rollers Q R, in the relation to each other and to the inliing roller K at the lower end of the bars or arms J, and the lower surface of the platen G when raised, as described, and in combination therewith I claim the segmental shield or plate P so arranged in relation to them, and the corresponding segmental formed arm or support C, as to thoroughly protect the sheets of paper being imprinted, from contact with the said inking rollers and enable its edges to be moved upward in the space between the shield or plate P and arm or support, C, substantially in the manner as before described.

JAS. N. PHELPS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS LAWRENCE, Trios. ALLCOCK. 

